¬¬¬Word Count: 1635 Discuss the materials used in a selected painting from the Baber Institute, paying attention to the effects that are achieved and to the work’s state of preservation. The Madonna and Child Enthroned (centre); Saint John the Baptist, with Angel of the Annunciation (left); Saint Magdalene, with Madonna Annunciate (right) is a late Fourteenth Century painting by an unknown Italian artist (Figure 1.). It was produced using egg tempera paint on wood panel and is displayed in the Barber Institute. It was originally a portable triptych used for private devotional use. The triptych consists of three panels each depicting a different scene. There are four main elements to an egg tempera painting, the support, the gesso ground, the …show more content…
Wood panels were used for egg tempera paintings as canvas cannot support the paint as the paint becomes brittle when drying and would flake off a flexible support. Wood was the alternative as it was stronger, cheaper than canvas and more widely available. The wood panels used for the supports are usually planks taken from the centre of the tree as it is more stable than planks from the edge of the tree where warping can occur. However warping and splitting can still occur over time as the wood deteriorates. As can be seen in Figure 2. the quality of the wood has declined and warped, consequently producing cracks in the painting and chips around the frame. Furthermore the wooden frame around the hinges, which is the same panel of wood as the background, has been significantly damaged, most likely due to the fact that the painting was originally an object used for personal devotion and so would have been transported and repositioned many times as opposed to a painting that would have been displayed in a church or domestic …show more content…
The fact that egg tempera adheres to gold is utilised to produce decorative effects in the technique of sgraffito. This is produced by applying the egg tempera paint over gold leaf and when it is dry, but not fully hardened, the paint is scraped away to expose the gold part of the design in the preferred pattern. This can clearly be seen in the The Madonna and Child Enthroned (centre); Saint John the Baptist, with Angel of the Annunciation (left); Saint Magdalene, with Madonna Annunciate (right). Flaking can occur in the gilding when it becomes brittle with age, as can be seen on the frames of the panels (Figure 2.). Although the gilding on the frame has faded, it is still visible in the background of the scenes in the painting, although it is cracked in several places. In this particular painting a lot of gilding is used, as is characteristic of religious paintings during the period. Textured surfaces such as stippled, cross-hatched or stamped gesso was used to obtain the effect of a different light reflection. In the background of the centre panel behind the Madonna and Christ the gilding is carefully scratched off and stamping is used to create the intricate detail of a tapestry (Figure 4.), similarly the halos around the figures in the painting are also stamped and gilded (Figure
The paint does not have any visible signs of cracking like other oil paintings. It appears to be as vibrant today as it was when it was originally painted. A good example of this is the color of the chairs. The fuchsia is the first color are drawn to. From there the composition pops out at you. The king’s ruffled shirt shows Hirsch’s used of impasto. Impasto is a technique used in painting, where paint is laid on the canvas thickly enough that the brush or painting-knife strokes are visible.
Madonna and child is one of the early Christian paintings. It shows “Madonna” as the virgin Marry and the “Child” as baby Jesus. The artist Berlinghiero did this great painting in the Greca period in the twelfth century. This painting was done on wood with two figures in front of a gold background. Madonna is wearing a dark blue cloak with golden decorations that cover most of her body; she is also wearing a reddish dress underneath her cloak that is only visible on her arms. To show here modesty the only thing that can be seen is here arms, neck and face. Her hand has and unrealistic look to them so as if they look long and skinny. According to the museum label “Berlinghiero was always open to Byzantine influence, and this Madonna
Masaccio used a technique called linear perspective. This technique allowed Italian artists to measure space so that all the objects in the painting are in proportion to each other. In this painting, Jesus is put intimately close to the scene by using linear perspective. An illusionistic hole is painted into the painted wall and this makes his portrayal more believable. Masaccio also used the technique of tonal modeling which created believable, almost sculptural figures proportionally related to one another to occupy that space. Both of these techniques helps to create good proportions and make the painting more realistic. Another technique that he uses is stage modeling. This means that the holy trinity is meant to be viewed from below and at a distance, like actors on a stage before an audience. In particular, this approach is based on a more human- centered view, locating a single spectator that is standing at a particular spot. In this painting, Jesus is the focus of the painting. In contrast, the Annunciation panel (from the Merode Triptych), which was painted by Robert Campin uses other techniques that greatly change the way the painting is
In addition, to the composition of the painting, the balance is also a dynamic factor. Both Ducci...
A Comparison of Barna di Siena’s Mystic Marriage of Saint Catherine and Rogier van der Weyden’s Saint Luke Drawing the Virgin and Child
In addition, scenes from the lives of the Virgin Mary and St. Blaise, a fourth century martyr, are also present. All the characters in the panels more or less have halos and therefore are holy figures. The twelve apostles line the bottom of the panels, perhaps suggesting that they were the foundation of the Catholic religion. Basically, the painting is designed for a church altar, it has religious figures in it, and it is filled with Bibles and images of Christ's crucifixion. All of this relays a strong message to the viewer that this is what is important in life; one should pay close attention to religion and have respect for
The Renaissance in Western Europe brought a “rebirth” to the arts. No longer was the church the only accredited patron for the arts. Instead, a wealthy middle class arose as patrons and were able to purchase artist’s works. Although many pieces still had religious themes, the styles, freedom of creativity, and less reserved pieces were created. The Renaissance was not only confined to Italy, although it is often mistaken as the birthplace of the movement. All over Western Europe artwork flourished. Artists from the north came to Italy to study the classical arts and the renowned Italian Renaissance artists. Many of the same themes and subject matters were depicted throughout Western Europe. One such subject matter, the Annunciation, was portrayed by Jan van Eyck, a Flemish panel painter, as well as, Fra Angelico, an Italian fresco painter. In short, the Annunciation occurred when God sends the angel, Gabriel to deliver the message to Mary that she will give birth to his only son. Although both artists had the same understanding of the biblical account, their styles varied to agree with the concerns and interests of the people of the time as well as where they lived. They were able to establish their individuality through their artwork, even with the same subject matter. The Annunciation by Jan van Eyck is a perfect reflection of Northern Renaissance panel painting while Annunciation by Fra Angelico is the essence of Italian Renaissance fresco painting.
Bernard Van Orley painted the Virgin with Child and Angels (ca. 1518) near the beginning of his career. This piece brings elements from the High Renaissance as well as early Renaissance and hints of the Gothic era. Orley’s use of oil on wood in this piece has allowed him to paint intricate details on the structures in the building and the drapery in the fabrics, and the triangular composition in the foreground gives it a nice focal point. The first thing that captures the eye in the hierarchy of scale is the Virgin Mary, holding a nude baby Jesus. The lack of a golden halo on both figures is notable, bringing the world into a realistic perspective. Mary face and body encloses Christ with an expression of endearment, creating a circle that connects
The history of the Madonna and Child starts in the Byzantine era. In this era paintings were not meant to look realistic, but rather were supposed to remind the viewer of a story or theological concept, in this case usually the concept that Jesus was both fully God and fully human. The years progressed and these paintings became more and more realistic as the Renaissance era was ushered in. During this time period artists strove to paint more accurate representations of their subjects. Even during this time, however there was still a use of iconology. Though all of these paintings have basically the same content, with the addition of various saints and angels, the theology that we can see in each painting differs greatly.
The above picture of Madonna of the Harpies is a 1517 painting by Andrea del Sarto which is also representative of Renaissance themes. The painting shows the Madonna holding a baby on an altar. She is flanked by two saints, Saint Francis and Saint John the Evangelist. In Renaissance times religious themes were common in art. However, the base of the altar is engraved with images of harpies, a reference to classical mythology which is also a feature of Renaissance art. It also explains the name of the painting. In classical mythology the harpies were monsters with women's heads and birds’ bodies. These figures are a marked contrast to the saintliness of the main figures. The composition of the art piece uses a common technique known as “pyramidal
“The Met’s very own Mona Lisa” (Tomkins 9). That is what Duccio di Buoninsegna’s Madonna and Child painting is known as today. “The Metropolitan Museum of Art bought the Madonna and Child for forty-five to fifty million dollars” (Tomkins 1). However, the painting was not always in public hands; in fact, the Met purchased the last known work of Duccio in private hands. Originally, the painting was held in the private hands of Adolphe Stoclet and his wife. When the couple died, their house and their collection went to their son, Jacques who held onto the painting, and passed it down to his daughters who lent it to an exhibition in Siena of Duccio and his school. The painting was eventually withdrawn from the exhibition and sold (Tomkins 2). Madonna and Child painting dated 1300 and was painted by Duccio di Buoninsegna a Sienese painter, who is considered the founder of modern Italian painting. I chose to research this painting because the subject matter of religious imagery and symbols interests me. Also because when I looked at the painting the emotion on the Madonna’s face almost jumped out at me. It is as if, she is looking at her newborn child with this deep sadness, which almost makes you think that the painting is foreshadowing the death of Jesus Christ. In addition, the burns of the side of the frame peaked my interest, as to why they were there. Art critics were also interested in this work they even consider Madonna and Child one of Duccio’s perfect works, and it said to be worth all the other paintings exhibited under the name of Duccio (Christiansen 14). The Madonna and Child painting’s iconography, imagery, emotional appeal to the viewers, and meaning all make this painting still a great work of art today.
In Giotto’s Madonna and Child Enthroned I see an older renaissance painting of a woman and her child. The child is sitting on the lap of his mother who is sitting on a large burgundy throne in the middle of the painting. The woman is dressed in a navy cloak while her child is clothed in a pink robe. Above the child’s head there is a yellow circle. This circle is a renaissance symbol for religious leadership or importance. Surrounding this throne are a gathering of angels. There are exactly seven angels on each side worshiping this mother and child. The background consists of a yellow brick pattern.
One of Piero della Francesca’s well known paintings known as, Madonna and Child with Two Angels (Senigallia Madonna), is a piece that caught my eye while browsing The Metropolitan Museum of Art located on the Upper East side of Manhattan. This piece, created circa 1478 was done in Sansepolcro, Italy and was executed with oil paint on wood sized at 24 in. x 21 1/16 in.. Piero della Francesca’s biblical portrait of the Virgin, Christ, and angels is a central icon in the Catholic church specifically of the Renaissance (rebirth) in Italy. Throughout this piece, there is an underlying theme of the Virgin Mary’s son, Jesus Christ as he is intimately represented. It is an iconic scene that has been depicted by many different artists of the Renaissance but the way that Piero della Francesca represents his iconic piece differs in that it is more than a portrait, it is a scene of the Virgin Mary and her child being blessed.
During the Renaissance, the Virgin Mary was prevalent theme throughout this period where artists such as: Fra Angelico, Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, Bothicellical and Perugino were inspired to paint the Virgin Mary. The paintings show a motherly pleasant looking women holding or caring for her child. The paints are capturing the Mary as a human but giving her a divine appearance. The child being Christ shows her power by giving birth to him and by caring for the Son of God. In essence providing love, caring, and protection for the young child of God. For example, plate 15 and frame 23, these plates show a compassionate caring mother that is humanistic in depiction but larger or more encompassing of the painting than the Christ child. This is implying her importance in the early life of Christ. This also shows the power or her earthly influence over the child even though she is a human and not a deity. This gives her a special place in the church as the earthly Mother that is the most perfect of humans, other than Christ.
Located in a hallway nestled between the Art of Europe and Art of Ancient Worlds wings at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston is the Italian Renaissance Gallery (Gallery 206). Here, Donatello’s Madonna of the Clouds and Luca della Robbia’s Virgin and child with lilies face one another, vying for museum-goers’ attention from alternate sides of the narrow gallery. Both pieces indulge ingenious techniques, original at the time of conception, to create a completely new visual experience of a very traditional biblical scene, the Virgin Mary with her child, Jesus Christ. This paper will employ close visual analysis of two 15th-century Renaissance reliefs from Florence depicting the Virgin Mary and Jesus Chris in order to show how these artists used innovative